2013-14 SEASON• Sat out season to meet NCAA transfer rules after transferring from Creighton.

PRE-CLEVELAND STATE• Spent the 2012-13 season as a reserve combo guard at Creighton, playing in 28 games and averaging 1.1 points and 0.6 assists.• Played as a reserve in NCAA tournament loss to Duke (3/24/13).• Had an assist and blocked shot in NCAA tournament win over Cincinnati (3/22/13).• Recorded two steals in MVC tournament semifinal win vs. Indiana State (3/9/13).• Had five points, two rebounds and an assist at Indiana State (2/6/13).• Scored four points with two assists vs. Longwood (11/20/12).• Made collegiate debut against North Texas (11/9/12), totaling three points, one assist and one rebound.

High School• Played senior year at Dayton Dunbar, which also produced former CSU standouts Norris Cole and Aaron Pogue.• Led Dunbar to a 28-0 mark and state title, going coast-to-coast for winning layup with 3.1 seconds left in state title game against Elida.• Named MVP of state tournament that included a 26 point effort in state semifinal win over Lake Catholic.• Team finished year ranked 12th nationally by Max Preps.• First team all-area and Dayton Public Schools Conference MVP after averaging 14.6 points, 3.0 assists and 2.9 steals.• Listed as the No. 7 prospect in Ohio and No. 2 point guard in Ohio by Prep Spotlight.• Played first three years at Trotwood-Madison H.S. (2008-11).• Averaged 14.5 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 steals as a junior with season-high 34 points vs. Troy.• Posted 5.9 points, 2.7 steals and 1.8 assists as a sophomore.

PersonalBorn Jan. 8, 1994, in Dayton, Ohio... son of Robert Yates and Andrea Mallory... has two siblings... journalism major.

JustinBibbs

Guard

Freshman

6' 5"

220 lbs.

Montverde Academy (Fla.)

Dayton, Ohio

2014-15: Has started all eight games ... Scored 15 points in his collegiate debut against Maryland-Eastern Shore ... Had 10 points and two rebounds against Liberty ... Made it three straight games scoring in double figures with 10 points against Appalachian State ... Had eight points against Northern Iowa ... Went 5-for-6 from three en route to a 22-point outing against Miami (OH) ... Grabbed five rebounds and added eight points against Morgan State ... Had 16 points, five rebounds and two steals at Penn State ... Had 10 points and four rebounds against Radford.

High School: Won two letters at Chaminade Julienne before spending the final two years of his high school career at national powerhouse Montverde Academy … Claimed back-to-back national championships at Montverde, helping his team to a 28-0 record as a senior … Ranked as a top 40 shooting guard nationally by 247sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.

PRIOR TO KENT STATE• Spent sophomore season at San Jacinto [Texas] College, playing in 25 games and averaging 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game• Spent freshman season at Midland [Texas] College, playing in 16 games and averaging 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game• Named Division II co-Player of the Year as a season after leading Dayton Dunbar to a state championship and first undefeated season (28-0) in the history of one of the state of Ohio's premier high school basketball programs• Also helped the Wolverines capture a state championship during his sophmore season• Averaged 16.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a senior• Earned all-city recognition after averaging 10.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game during his junior season• Played under head coach Peter Pullen at Dayton Dunbar• Split his AAU seasons with All-Ohio Red, Dayton Nets and Ohio Hoopsters• Former teammates at Dayton Dunbar include Geron Johnson (Memphis), Deontae Hawkins (Wichita State/Illinois State), Andre Yates (Creighton/Cleveland State) and Damarion Geter (Longwood)PERSONAL• Full name is Gary Rashid Akbar III• Born on February 7, 1994• Son of Laciana Scates and Gary Akbar, Jr.• Has two siblings—Artaja Miller and Jay'mar Miller• Majoring in educational studies

23 Hawkins Deontae 6'8 Forward Fr Dunbar/Quakerdale Promise Acad.

2013-14Ruled a non-qualifier by the NCAA for the 2013-14 season.

Prior to Illinois StateSpent the 2012-13 season at Quakerdale Promise Academy in New Providence, Iowa • Prior to his year of prep school, was a four-year starter for Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar High School where he helped win two Ohio state championships • As a senior, averaged 16.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks to help Dunbar to its first undefeated season in school history (28-0) and an Ohio Division II title • Netted 14 points with 12 rebounds to lead the Wolverines to their fifth state championship in a 54-52 win against Elida, March 24, 2012 • Also shot 58.5 percent from the field during the 2011-12 season • Averaged 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks as a junior, and was named All-Ohio Division II and the Dayton City League Player of the Year • Also helped the Wolverines (25-3) win the 2010 Ohio state title during sophomore campaign, averaging 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks that season • Out of high school, was ranked by ESPN as the fourth-best prospect in Ohio, the 34th-best in the region and the 48th-best forward in the nation • Also played for the All-Ohio Red AAU team • Originally signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play at Wichita State in 2011, but was granted partial relief from the Missouri Valley Conference's intra-conference transfer rule after Hawkins did not enroll at WSU.

PersonalBorn August 2, 1993 • Son of Lizett Myers • Has four siblings • Name is pronounced: Dee-ON-tae Hawkins • Nickname is "Teddy" • Major: Undeclared

FORMER MEDINA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYER SUES AFTER GETTING CUT FROM TEAM

A 2013 graduate of Medina High School is taking to federal court because he feels he didn't get enough playing time on the varsity basketball team and that his First Amendment and due process rights were violated when he was finally booted from the team for taking to Twitter to complain about it.

Chase Johanson — now a high jumper at UNC-Wilmington — is suing the Medina City School District, Medina basketball coach Anthony Stacey, Medina athletic director Jeff Harrison, and Medina High School principal Bryan Farson. Johanson's asking for in excess of $75,000.

You can check out the full complaint below, but beware, you may want to headbutt your computer screen as you dive into the world of entitled high school athletes who call the coach, his boss, his boss’s boss, and their employers into court because of playing time.

The complaint says his "relationship with the Medina High School Basketball Program began to sour in December of 2010 during his sophomore year when there was a conflict of interest between a school sponsored musical performance, in which Plaintiff was a participant, and a basketball game. Following the code of conduct for the school, when such a conflict arises, there was an agreement that he could participate in the musical performance with no clarification of penalty. However, as a result of his participation he was made ineligible to participate in one half of their next basketball game."

From there, Johanson and his parents complained to the athletic director ("The coach was required to apologize"), but then felt his "playing time was noticeably reduced for the remainder of the season and he was singled out for negative treatment.” Then, despite a coaching change, Johanson "felt that he was treated negatively and differently than other players."

He didn't make the varsity team his junior year, playing "exceptionally well" and "despite his performance" he was "passed over for promotion to the varsity team by at least one underclassman who was not a starter on the junior varsity team." When he was a senior, he was put on varsity "but was relegated to very little playing time.

His time there was short lived because he took to Twitter on December 14, 2012, after he "sat on the bench the entire game." Per the complaint, he tweeted "Am I that bad that I can't even play on a losing team?" (A review of his Twitter account shows a tweet saying "Am I THAT BAD? #sittingonalosingteam.") And the next day: "At this point the trainer has been on the floor more than I have," and then "At least the Brunswick coaches would take me to play basketball" (his actual Twitter account says "Elyrias coaches and Brunswicks coaches said they would take me to play basketball... if only it was legal #satthroughthreelosses).

The coach kicked him off the team after that.

Johanson's lawyer filed the suit yesterday on three counts, asking in excess of $25,000 for each.

Count 1: That his and his parents' complaints and letters to school officials, and his posts on Twitter, were protected by the First Amendment and that his "ill treatment and ultimate removal" from the varsity team "was a direct retaliation against him for the Constitutionally protected activity...". Because of this, Johanson "suffered humiliation and embarrassment, a loss of liberty, and the lost opportunities for both personal enrichment and potential scholarships."

Count 2: That because Johanson had a desire to play "at the highest level that he could achieve" it is a "liberty interest." By cutting him — thus depriving him of his "liberty interest" — it is a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment because it was done without "due process of law."

Count 3: that his due process was violated because he has "a right to be heard and present ones defense before an impartial body" before getting kicked off the team.

Montverde Academy aims for unprecedented three-peat at 2014 City of Palms Classic

Montverde Academy (Fla.) will attempt to do just that later this year after winning the prestigious title in 2012 and 2013.

The Wayne Warriors Ohio number 1 ranked team will play Montvede Academy the number 1 rankedteam in the Nation...

Psssssst… Let me Holla at ya for a minute: An Open Letter to HS Ballers

Young fella, I’ve been watching…. I’ve seen you fly all over the country playing in Adidas, Under Armour and Nike events. I’ve seen you attending “workouts.” I’ve seen the Chosen League highlights on youtube. The videos of you dribbling two balls through the cones, I’ve seen that. You running on the track with the parachute attached to yourhip, I’ve seen that too. The killer crossover set to Meek Mills and the dunk backed up by Rick Ross, I’ve seen that too. Like I said, I’ve been watching. I watch because I LOVE you!

Because I LOVE you, I have to tell you the truth. You ain’t supposed to make it!

Let me say it again, I don’t want there to be any confusion. You ain’t supposed to make it.

Scoop Jardine, Syracuse University

You see, these are confusing times. A lot of Philly ballers have made it. Please understand that I have had this same conversation with the overwhelming majority of area Division I players over the past 15 years or so. I know exactly how they managed to meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Scoop Jardine and Rick Jackson are graduates of Syracuse University. I sat them down as 11th graders and we had this conversation. Samme Givens and Chaz Crawford graduated from Drexel, but first we had to develop a plan to meet eligibility criteria. Before Marcus and Markeiff Morris were able to accept scholarships from Kansas, they had to get through the Clearinghouse. This is the same conversation I had with Dion Waiters, below (Syracuse), Rysheed Jordan (St. John’s), John Davis (Towson), “Biggie” Minnis (Rhode Island), Ja’Quan Newton (Miami), Anthony Durham (Rider), Carrington Ward (North Texas) and many others.

Dion Waiters, Syracuse University/Cleveland Cavs

Society at large and the American sports media are sending you mixed messages. On the one hand, corporate America (Nike, Under Armour and Adidas) makes it possible for you to fly to Atlanta, Vegas, Los Angeles, Indiana, Ohio, Miami and many other cities to play basketball in front of hundreds of college coaches. You play game after game all summer against some of the best players in the land.

At these events, you have been able to fully display your considerable athletic skills. The jumper is wet! The handle is tight! The vision is outstanding! All the skill development and strength training has finally come together. You know it, your AAU coaches know it, your “handler” knows it and the college coaches know it, you are a BALLER!

On the other hand there’s what you don’t know and what they won’t tell you is: You ain’t supposed to make it!

I know that you are focused and working relentlessly toward earning an NCAA Division 1 scholarship. Now, what you need to know is that the odds are stacked heavily against you even graduating from high school. In 2010, a major study found that Philadelphia, along with New York was the worst performing district in the nation with regard to Black male graduation rates. The five worst performing districts with large Black male student enrollment (exceeding 40,000) were New York City, N.Y. (28%); Philadelphia, Pa. (28%); Detroit, Mich. (27%); Broward County, Fla. (39%); Dade County, Fla. (27%).

JaQuan Newton, Miami University

Think about that for a minute. Out of every 100 NYC, Philly and Detroit kids you that played with and against in those “Invitational”, “Elite” and “Exposure” camps only 28 will graduate high school in 4 years. That means 72 out of every 100 won’t earn a high school diploma on schedule.

I have to be honest with you young fella, I see Philadelphia’s 28% graduation rate declining significantly over the next few years. Let’s keep it real. Philadelphia is the midst of an unprecedented series of budget cuts. In 2013, the Philadelphia school system laid off 3,783 employees, including 676 teachers and 283 counselors. Along with teachers and counselors, those losing their jobs included 127 assistant principals and 1,202 aides who monitor the cafeteria and playgrounds.

Carrington Ward, North Texas

In 2014, it was announced that high school students who live within two miles of school will not receive transportation support (an increase from 1.5 miles), impacting approximately 7,500 students at district, charter, and non-public schools. There will also be reduced services in alternative education programs, which will result in fewer higher-quality options for approximately 300 students. There will be less frequent cleaning of schools, fewer cleaning supplies, and delayed repairs at schools. The district will not fill 34 school police officer vacancies, reducing the number of officers available to support school climate and safety.

In the past year, the state of Pennsylvania (which controls Philadelphia’s public schools) and the city of Philadelphia have closed 23 schools, laid off teachers, guidance counselors, principals and school aides. They have decided to eliminate transportation support and 300 alternative education slots for your peers trying to earn credits toward graduation. They have openly declared they will provide you with dirtier and less safer educational settings this year.

Young fella, you ain’t supposed to make it!

It is important that you understand, they do have plans for your future. I don’t want you to think that they are not preparing to “serve” you. While your schools will be dirty and unsafe because of budgetary concerns, there’s a gleaming new state of the art $400 million prison under construction just outside of the city.

SCI Graterford

While only 28% of Black males graduate from Philadelphia’s high school on time, Pennsylvania Correctional (Prison) system is operating at approximately 105% percent capacity. This new prison will sit proximate to SCI Graterford. A few years ago, Mayor Michael Nutter noted, “Of the 2010 homicides, 86.9 percent were African-American males. African-American males were 65.5 percent of the admissions into the Philadelphia Prison System in 2010. About one-third of all PA DOC prisoners committed their crimes in Philadelphia County. Graterford is the nearest prison to Philadelphia. A lot of Philly offenders serve time there.

Young fella, they know you ain’t supposed to make it….

Nonetheless, you can do it. You can go to college. You can earn a scholarship. But there are some things you need to know. Who’s gonna give you this information? They are cutting assistant principals and guidance counselors to hire more prison guards. So, I’m gonna try to give you some useful information on this website.

Traci Carter, Life Center Academy, 2015

Class of 2015 (Seniors)You are the last class that has a wide range of options available to meet NCAA eligibility guidelines. Even without full-time guidance counselors in many schools, there are some moves you can make to increase your chances of being NCAA eligible. For example, if you have a few Ds on your transcript from 9th, 10th or 11th grade you should retake those classes. Take them online or in the evening, but retake them! If your school won’t allow you to retake the classes because you already “passed” and earned the credit, pay to take the classes at another school. It is important to make sure the other school’s courses are listed and accepted by the NCAA Eligibility Center. By increasing your GPA, you place much less pressure on your SAT/ACT score.

If you are a high major recruit, NCAA DI coaches began calling July 1st after your Junior year. Coaches can make unlimited phone calls/texts during the contact period. This means a coach can call/text you if he wants you. The rules still allow a coach to speak with a recruit anytime you make the phone call.

Young fella, if you are not talking to DI coaches on the phone by this point in your senior year it is time to consider DII, DIII or NAIA schools.

If DI schools wanted you, you would know. They would have reached out to your AAU coach, your HS coach, your “guy” or your parents by now. They are not under any restrictions. Off-Campus contact is allowed. Coaches are allowed to begin visiting off of their campus. Have they come to your school? Have they come to your home?

Coaches can bring you in on Official Visits starting the first day of classes. On Official Visits coaches pay to bring you in on a visit, host you on campus and pay for meals and game tickets. Remember, you only get 5 official visits. Be prudent in how you use them. You should have already been making Unofficial Visits to D1 campuses if you plan to play at that level.

Class of 2016 (Juniors)Everything is different for you. You have have meet far more stringent requirements. College bound student athletes first entering an NCAA Division I college or university on or after August 1, 2016 will need to meet new academic rules in order to receive athletics aid (scholarship), practice or compete during their first year.

You will still have to complete 16 Core Courses. However, ten (10) of the 16 core courses must be complete before the seventh semester (senior year) of high school. That is a new rule. You need to look at your transcript right now. Make sure you will have 10 cores before your senior year. Also, you must make sure seven (7) of the 10 core courses are in English, Math, or Science. These are requirements and if they are not met you will not qualify under new NCAA rules.

Also, the new minimum Core-Course GPA is 2.300. It is no longer 2.000. This is a significant increase. Many, if not most, student-athletes I have encountered over the past 15 years would not have met a 2.300 GPA requirement.

Moreover, and most importantly after this (your Junior) year, your grades are “locked in.” Unlike current seniors, you will not be able to retake classes in which you received Ds during your senior year. Every year, thousands of high school seniors retake classes to improve their core course GPAs. The NCAA is eliminating this option beginning with your class.

If you are an NCAA DI level recruit, You will begin receiving recruiting materials starting September 1st. Coaches will begin sending you letters or emailing you. The rules do not prevent you from emailing coaches, something you should have been doing since your sophomore year at least.

Basketball coaches can have off-campus contact at the start of classes your Junior year. Official Visits are allowed at the start of the school year. For women, they can begin making visits the Thursday after the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

Class of 2017 and 2018 (Freshmen and Sophomores) If you plan on playing at the NCAA DI level, watch your grades! Do NOT earn Ds. They are unacceptable. Those Ds will make you NCAA ineligible. Men’s Basketball coaches can begin calling, sending letters to and emailing recruits June 15th after your sophomore year.

Graduation Requirements:

To earn an Ohio high school diploma, students must meet both the testing and curriculum requirements identified by the State of Ohio. Here is the law with requirements for those who are graduating in the class of 2014 and beyond.

Students must earn 20 curriculum requirements, as they have in previous years. However, the required number of credits needed in mathematics increases from three to four and decreases in elective credits from six to five. Additionally, students must receive instruction in economics and financial literacy as well as fine arts. See the checklist below for more information.

There are temporary exemptions in state legislation for some students. Here is information about opting out of the curriculum requirements for graduation.

The following checklists provide information regarding the testing and curriculum graduation requirements, as well as information about an alternative way to meet the testing requirements.

Use this checklist for students who entered ninth grade for the first time after July 1, 2010.

House Bill 487 updated Ohio’s graduation requirements to ensure that all students are ready for success in college and work. As a result, the class of 2017 (10th-graders in the 2014-2015 school year) will be the last students to take the current Ohio Graduation Tests. The new requirements take effect with the class of 2018 (ninth graders in Fall 2014). Additionally, every student in the class of 2018 will have the opportunity to take a nationally recognized college admission exam free of charge in the 11th grade. The honors diploma remains another option for students.

Ten Things Parents of Athletes Should Know

1. It’s not about you, its about them. Do not live your own sports dreams through your kids. It’s their turn now. Let them make their own choices, both good and bad.

2. Never talk to a coach about your child’s play time after a game. Actually you never should. You should have your kid do that. That said, if you just can’t help yourself, send an email the next day and ask for some phone time.

3. NEVER yell at referees. They are trying. How would you like it if someone came to your job and screamed at you? Not. So. Much. If you have a real issue file a grievance the next day.

4. Do NOT coach your kid from the sideline. Your job is to be a cheerleader, not a coach. If you wanted to coach, you should have volunteered.

5. It is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY you are raising a professional athlete. I promise you. Relax, let them have a good time and learn the lessons they are supposed to be learning in sports.

6. Kids should play the sport that is in season until they are in middle school. Then they can decide which one or two sports they want to play and become more focused. Cross training prevents injuries and burnout.

7. If you have nothing nice to say, sit down and be quiet. Don’t be “that” parent.

8. If you are losing your mind on the sideline of game, it’s time to look in the mirror and figure out why. It’s not normal to care that much about sports. Put that energy into something more productive.

9. Let them fail. Forgotten equipment, not working out, not practicing at home? Let them suffer the consequences of that. It will make them better.

10. Your kids are watching you. Make them proud not embarrassed.

Four Social Media Mistakes That Can Cost You a Scholarship

Mistake #1: Inappropriate PhotosOnce upon a time, Facebook was only used by college students. In 2011, that fairy tale is over. Because everyone from grandparents to university officials now uses Facebook to browse through photos, it's important to develop a discerning eye before hitting "post." The University of Kentucky uses its website to warn student-athletes that they can lose their scholarships and be kicked off the team as a direct result of having inappropriate pictures posted to Facebook. Make sure photos on all of your accounts are grandma-approved—no nudity, alcohol or drugs. If you've posted those images to your account, or if one of your friends has tagged you in risqué photos, remove them immediately.

Mistake #2: Profanity It's late and you're upset about the night's loss, so you write a quick tweet about the quarterback that includes an F-bomb. No big deal, right? Wrong. That one lapse can cause a school to rethink its scholarship offer. Other obscene language can be just as damaging. According to the Huffington Post, Caitlin Ortiz, a Molloy College softball player, lost her scholarship due to lyrics from a Chris Brown song she posted on Facebook. Always think twice about every status update, making sure both the language and message are G-rated.

Mistake #3: Violating NCAA RegulationsAccording to an article in the New York Times, certain social media communications can be considered violations of NCAA regulations. The article explains that Facebook friend requests to recruits from a college's fans, boosters or alums may be prohibited by the NCAA. No penalties have yet been assessed for these kinds of communications, but some recruits have been the targets of hostile tweets, posts and comments. Avoid the negativity, and any possible violation, by keeping such "friends" out of your accounts altogether.

Mistake #4: Not Updating Your Privacy SettingsFacebook is constantly updating its privacy settings. Stay up-to-date on all changes to maintain your circle of friends, and monitor content other people post about you. Even if you censor your own posts and photos, one raunchy comment or snapshot posted by a friend can do serious damage to your reputation and scholarship chances.

Censoring your social media might seem like a quick way to take the fun out of Facebook, but it has become essential for any high school athlete. Give yourself a better chance by reviewing your social media accounts today.

PARENTS, COACHES: PLEASE BE ADIVISE OF THE NEW RULE FOR RECLASSIFYING (Holding your child back) IN Ohio.......

5.) Bylaw 4?]3?]4, Semesters for Grades 7?]8 (New) Related to the eight?]semester high school rule, this amendment permits students who complete the sixth grade and before entering the ninth grade eligibility for athletic competition for a period not to exceed four semesters taken in order of attendance, whether the student participates or not. The issue was raised by administrators who are concerned about the “redshirting” of students in grades seven and eight. 377 in favor; 64 opposed...

Trying to get more clarification on this rule

1. Does this rule affect an student who is entering 8th grade who parent has decided to retain them in 7th?

2. Does the rule affect an student who just completed the 8th and parents have decided to retain the student?

3. When is the effective date for the rule to go into play?

4. If a parent decide to retain the student and he does not play for the Middle school team but for a club team in the year he was retained. Does this effect there High school eligibility once they are in High School?

No student who was enrolled in 7th or 8th grade during the 2013-14 school year (this most recent school year) will be affected by the new bylaw. Students who were in 6th grade during the 2013-14 school year and those students who were enrolled in grades below 6th grade will be affected by the bylaw.

Whether a student participates in school sports or not has no affect on the semsesters of attendance. If a student has spent 4 semesters in 7th and 7th grade, the student will be affected if the student enters 7th grade this school year or a subsequent year. The new middle school bylaw indicates no more than four semesters of attendance once a student enteres the (7th and 8th grade). The semester bylaw for high school bylaw does not consider middle school attendance but rather semesters of attendance when a student enters high school or is otherwise eligible for high school athletics (e.g. a middle school student who is too old for middle school athletics and participates at the high school).

Re-Cap of the All Star game

The Rising Star AAU All Star Game was held on May 20th at Wayne High School in the Muntz Gym.. Some of the area’s best came out to represent their summer AAU teams. Starting off the evening was the East vs. West showdown featuring the class of 2019. Heading the class is Amair Davis of Trootwood/All Ohio Red. He is not only one of the best in the area but also in the state. Look for the 6'0 guard to be one of the best in the nation this time next year. He didn’t disappoint with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist. Leading the way for the East team was Rashad McKee of Wayne/Dayton Pilots with 19 points. McKee scored from the inside as well as knocked down some deep three's. Also in double figures was Steven Victoria of Wayne/Dayton Pilots. The game looked to be lop-sided at the half with the East ahead 44 to 19. The West was lead by hot shooting Malachi Matthews Dunbar/All Ohio Red . In the second half the West made a game of it but came up short 72-50. Matthews was lead scorer with 23 points. Javon Chapman Dunbar/Dayton Elite, Micheal Elmore Dunbar and BJ Johnson of Vandlia/Dayton Elite each had 8 points. A couple of the areas top 6th graders/Class of 2019 also got a chance to showcase their talents . Sammuel Anderson OBC Elite and Carl Blanton Jr of Dayton Elite got a chance to play up and both more than held their own. Look for these two to head-line February 2015 Middle School All Star game.

East Team

Danny Lewis II Northmont/Dayton Nets

Carl Blanton Jr. Richard Allen/Dayton Elite 6th

Steven Victoria Wayne/Dayton Pilots

Rashad Mckee Wayne/Dayton Pilots

Dajuan Allen Richard Allen/Dayton Pilots

Taydren Carter Deca/Dayton Pilots

BJ Johnson Morton/Dayton Elite

Brian Hill II Wayne/dayton Pilots

Amari Davis Trotwood/All Ohio Red

Jeren Smith Dunbar/Dayton Elite

Sammuel Anderson Trotwood/OBC 6th

West Team

Michael Elmore Dunbar

Deshawn Johnson DECA/Dayton Pilots

Jayden Littlejohn Wayne/Dayton Pilots

Tavon Goodwin Richard Allen/Dayton Pilots

Bryson Flucas Meadowdale

Daniel Cummings Boys Prep/Dayton Pilots

Jovaughn Chapman Dunbar/Dayton Elite

Ryan Marchal Centerville/Warrior Elite

Malachi Matthews Dunbar/All Ohio Red

8th Grade East vs. West showdown for the class of 2018. Heading the class was Samari Curtis of Xenia/OBC, Antwaun Johnson Dunbar/Tier 1 and L'Christian Blue Smith Wayne/OBC. All three players are top in their class with Smith being one of the tops in the nation. Smith was lead scorer with 26 points. Matthew Palma led the West while scoring 18 points. While Palma is a relativity unknown he has plenty of upside. I look for him to be one of the top bigs in this area if he continues to develop. A couple of players to watch in the next few years are Joseph Scales of Thurgood/Swish, Diante Lesperance Wayne/Dayton Metro and Jadon Rucker West Carrollton/Rucker Park.

East

Samari Curtis Xenai/OBC

Payton Knott Franklin/OBC

Raveion Hargrove Trotwood/Dayton Swish

Jack Morga-Elliott Fairborn/OBC

George Anderson DECA/Airmen

Antwaun Johnson Dunbar/King James Tier 1

Rile Mason Pathways/Dayton Pilots

L'Christian Smith Wayne/OBC

West

Isaiah Bower Sidney/OBC

Philip Harwood West Carollton/Rucker Park

Nykel Davis Fairview/Rucker Park

Jadon Rucker Furlow West Carrollton/Rucker Park

Matthew Palma Wayne/OBC

Diante Lesperance Wayne/Dayton Metro

Davontae McKee Wayne/Dayton Pilots

Jami Dewberry Jr. Meadowdale/Dayton Swiss

Jeraine Groce Trotwood/Dayton Swish

Shawn Reid Jr. Thrugood/And 1 Elite

Joseph Scales Thurgood/Dayton Swish

9th Grade East vs. West showdown with the class of 2017.. Heading the class is Storm Cook of Piqua/All Ohio, Kamron Drollet of Fairmont/Dayton Flight, and Christian Wilson of Northmont/Dayton Pilots. Watch out for D. Capers of Northmont/OBC and Max Morgan-Elliot of Fairborn/OBC to begin to shine. Leading scorers for the East were Jerontae MCComb Meadowdale/Dayton Pilots with 13 points and Christian Wilson Northmont/Dayton Pilots. West leading scorer was D. Capers Northmont with 16, Isiah Trice Wayne/All Ohio White with 15 and Storm Cook Piqua/All Ohio Red.

Too many players use rankings as a barometer of their value on the court, parents wear it like a badge of honor and coaches use it to pump up their own prowess.

Kids should play basketball for 2 reasons:

They truly love the game

They can use it as vehicle for unique life experiences (and a free education)

My eyes opened to the Player Ranking cult about a decade ago when the Washington Post ran a story claiming a Baltimore kid was the ‘best 10-year-old player in the country.’

I couldn’t believe it. 10 years old? Really?

First of all, how could you possibly claim a kid was the best 10-year-old unless you had seen every single 10-year-old play?

And what is the point of even trying to determine whom the best 10-year-old is? Who does that benefit? What positive could possibly come of that?

Why would anyone want to burden a 10-year-old kid with the pressure of being ‘the best’? Or 12-year-old. Or 14-year-old for that matter?

These are kids we are talking about!

Now, I am fine with naming All-American teams or even publicly ranking players right before their senior year in high school… but I believe in doing so as a way to recognize them for what they have already accomplished… not trying to prematurely

predict their future.

But even then it is a slippery slope, as success is never guaranteed.

What 3 things do Shaheen Halloway and Kenny Gregory have in common?

Both were the MVP of the McDonalds All-American game (Halloway in ’96 and Gregory in ’97)

Both went undrafted in the NBA

You have never heard of either of them

Publicized Internet Player Rankings are polluting youth basketball.

If a player is ranked really high, they often become complacent and get enabled by a swarm of vultures and hanger-on-ers who see this kid as their conduit to riches and fame. Everyone in his entourage becomes a ‘yes man’ and kisses their butt. How does that help their development and growth?

If a player is ranked low or not ranked at all, they often become frustrated and question the hard work they have already put in. Oftentimes they become selfish players in order to ‘Go for mine’ when playing in tournaments and events. They start playing THE game instead of playing THEIR game.

This selfish mentality happens to highly ranked players too… they know that if they don’t fill up the stat sheets their ranking will suffer. The result is selfish play at most youth tournaments and AAU events. Too much dribbling, forced shots and no extra passes – the exact opposite of how the game is supposed to be played!

If you want real insight to the dangers of player rankings, I highly recommend you read George Dohrmann’s book Play Their Hearts Out.

Going hand in hand with this infatuation with Player Rankings is the need for exposure. After all, you need exposure to get ranked, right? How can you get ranked if no one ever sees you play?

I get a dozen emails a week asking me “what is the best way for me to get exposure?”

My answer?

Become the best player and teammate you can be, the exposure will follow. If you can play – they will find you.

AAU big shot arrested on drug charges

Report: AAU 'power broker' arrested on drug trafficking charges

The man behind the D.C. Assault AAU basketball team, home to scores of college players and multiple pros, has been arrested on drug trafficking charges, according to multiple media reports.

Assault founder and coach Curtis Malone was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration for a year before law enforcement officials finally closed in on Friday, The Washington Post reported.

According to court documents cited by the Post, a wiretap revealed a man was visiting Malone's home in Upper Marlboro, Md., to buy drugs. After the man left Malone's house carrying a bag, police made a traffic stop and discovered the man's bag contained one kilogram of cocaine.

Officers, armed with a search warrant, then went to Malone's home, where they say they found one kilogram of cocaine, 100 grams of heroin and drug-distribution-related materials.

Malone, co-founder of the Assault in 1993, was convicted of drug-related charges three years before starting the team and served a short sentence. Along with several other legal problems since, Malone also ran afoul of NCAA rules in 2012 for sending money to a former Assault player, Kansas State's Jamar Samuels.

The Post described Malone as a "youth basketball power broker." The proliferation of AAU programs across the country has been bemoaned by basketball critics for creating such power brokers who have unchecked influence to steer the best talent to college programs.

A couple of years ago, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said of AAU coaches : "They don't answer to anybody. Who is funding them (and) what are their goals? What race are they running?"

NBA STARS DAEQUAN COOK AND NORRIS COLE TEAM UP AT THE LOCAL LEGENDS GAME

Dayton, OH – The second annual Local Legends Game at Dunbar High School brings the shining stars of the Dayton basketball community together for a good cause and a great evening of entertainment. Fans at the game will be given the chance to win several pairs of autographed sneakers and Tshirts, participate in raffle drawings, and get autographs from hometown superstars. This charity event will take place on Saturday August 10, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at Dunbar High School, 1400 Albritton Drive Dayton, OH 45417. The cause to benefit from this charity exhibition is the Cook Scholarship Fund at Dunbar High School which helps scholars and athletes achieve their college aspirations.

Organizers have compiled impressive team rosters that will ensure an exciting on-court performance. Chicago Bull Shooting Guard and 3-point Shootout Champion Daequan Cook and his Dunbar High School contemporary Norris Cole, Point Guard for the Miami Heat, team up to dazzle the crowd, and bring a taste of professional basketball to Dayton. Southwest Ohio produces an enormous amount of basketball talent from its high schools and colleges, yet has been unable to support a professional team of its own since the 1970’s. Perhaps, the annual Local Legends can spark the interest of investors and fans alike in order to bring pro basketball to Dayton, a city that has not only birthed several superstars but is hungry for the sport’s return. Other local legends in attendance are Chris Wright, Carl Edwards, Kenny Hayes, Cashmere Wright, Josh Benson, Mark Anderson, Dwight Anderson, Nate Miller, Rhonda Price, Steve Wright, Aaron Pogue, Dionte Vaughn, John Diebler, Brandy Hoskins, Chris Pearson, Daquan Walker, and Earl DJ Bandcamp.

Prior to the game, Daequan Cook and Revival Ministries International will sponsor a Back To School Giveaway where they will give the first 50 boys and 50 girls backpacks brimming with the necessary supplies needed to start the school year off right. Other sponsors involved in the Local Legends Game are Roosters, Coca Cola, Elite Sports and Entertainment, Stafford Jewelers, Original Thought Required, Corporate Got-Em, Eric Bowling and associates, and SYL resources, LLC. The giveaway will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at which point the doors for the game will open and the game will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the door for $5.00 kid’s admission, and $7.00 adult admission.

If you’d like to get involved, and help sponsor a charitable event with DC4three contact www.dc4three.com or call (773)332-7456. For more information on the Local Legends Game, contact Coach Herbert “Chuck” Richardson at (937)776-7364.

Mike Peterson, the pair’s AAU coach for the Indy Hoosiers, said Indiana has been interested in both players since last year; the NCAA allows coaches to recruit seventh- and eighth-graders.

“Indiana has been watching Paul and Zach since seventh grade, especially (assistant coach Tim) Buckley,” Peterson said. “They’ve shown a lot of interest. When we went down there for a visit, they took them through and asked them if they wanted to be Hoosiers.”

Peterson said Crean and the staff did not pressure the players to make a commitment now. Several other schools, including Xavier, Purdue, Ohio State and Memphis, have shown heavy interest in both Scruggs and Gunn. Last summer IU offered North Central’s Eron Gordon prior to his freshman season.

“The talks we’ve had with the family is that it would put a lot of pressure on them to commit as eighth graders,” Peterson said. “There are a lot of eyes following you and it can be tough if you aren’t ready for that. So it’s probably best to let them see other things and let them get bigger and stronger. (Crean) said he wants them to make the appropriate decisions, but that he also wants them to be Hoosiers.”

The Indy Hoosiers took third at the AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fla., last week. Kris Wilkes, an incoming freshman at North Central, and Justin Roberts, an incoming freshman at (Indy Spiece Heat)Pike, are also getting early Division I interest.

Peterson said Scruggs and Gunn are two of the top players he has seen nationally in that age group.

“Scruggs is one of the best combo guards in the country as far as all-around skill and rebounding,” he said. “And Zach Gunn is a really smooth lefty shooter. He sort of has a game like (former Brebeuf Jesuit and Indiana standout) Alan Henderson going inside and outside.”

FOR ALL STARS ONLY

COOK/COLE CELEBRITY ALL-STAR GAME

DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL

6:30 PM

$3 IN ADVANCE

$5 AT THE DOOR

FOR BOOTH AND SPONSOR INFORMATION (305)299-4726

(Players please wear AAU jersey with white and dark side, Girls and 7th graders please report early to be place on a team.)

*Please note All Star game partipant will be chosen from boys game to play at 5 pm.

12:00 pm check in

1 pm 7th Grade Boys

2 pm 7th and 8th Grade Girls

3 pm 8th Grade Boys West vs North

4 pm 8th Grade Boys East vs South

*5 pm All Star Game

6:30 pm NBA All Star Game

8th GradeEast All-Stars

8th Grade South All-Stars

Paris Minnifield

Amir Foster

Davon Baker

Nick Pluta

Isaiah Gordon

Christian Smith

Ray James

Chris Jackson

Jalen Garrett

Antion Johnson

Nelson Rutledge

Floyd Scott

Isaiah Gable

8th Grade West All-Stars

8th Grade North All-Stars

Maurice Beavers

D'Marco Long

Brandon McCoy

Peyton Young

Maxon Walker

Miles Joiner

Tramain Harris

D'Aadrron Miller

Tyrin Yates

Jerrontae McComb

Cole Pritchard

Jason Watson

Keyshawn Johnson

Daryl Cursoe

Isaiah Trice

Breaton Strange

Congratulation to Chuck Painters Dayton Metro team for finishing 6th place in the AAU D-II National Tournament in Memphis, Tenn..............Last year Painter team finished 9th they follow up with a 6th place finish this year without guards Daushawn Parker and Daruis Quisenberry. I look for big things out of this group in the coming years. Congratulations to John Alessandro, Joe Alessandro, Storm Painter, Cade Morgan, KJ Redmon, TK Robinson , Klye Lawson, Jack Campbell, Alex Reigelsperger and Drew Ashurst......

We were unable to get out the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-n-Slam All-Star Classic this past weekend due to prior obligations, but there was some greatcoveragearound the Midwest from arguably the best stop on the springtravelcalendar. Here is a quick overview in case you missed it.

We were unable to get out the Bill Hensley Memorial Run-n-Slam All-Star Classic this past weekend due to prior obligations, but there was some great coverage around the Midwest from arguably the best stop on the spring travel calendar.

Here is a quick overview in case you missed it.

All-Ohio Red (AOR) continued to progress as a team capturing the 17-and-under Gold Bracket following a (4-1) weekend in Hampton, Virginia. AOR avenged a loss from the NY2LA event handily defeating the Illinois Wolves in pool play.

AOR defeated the SYF Players, Team Work (78-72), the Louisville Magic, Spiece Indy Heat, and Team Thad to win the event. By plenty of reports,the gamewith Indy Heat was a classic. Five-star prospect Trey Lyles returned frominjurythis past weekend for Indy Heat making the game much more intriguing. Louisville Magic and Team Thad are both high level teams and Team Work is a solid program.

According to several reports, Jae’Sean Tate (Pickerington Central) and Vince Edwards (Middletown) created plenty of buzz with their play throughout the weekend, and Javon Bess (Gahanna Lincoln) and Evan Bailey (Massillon Jackson) got some ink as well.

Tate has committed to Ohio State and it’s no secret that Edwards is mulling options from Michigan and Purdue. Bess and Bailey are both drawing plenty of mid-major looks with some mid-major plus teams showing some interest as well.

Northwest Ohio Basketball Club (NWOBC) was another majorplayerthis past weekend in Fort Wayne thanks to Elida’s Dakota Mathias and solid group of players that play an enviable brand of basketball.

Coach Al Welch’s club made the Final 4 of the 17U Gold Bracket with wins over Team Blaze Select, the Michigan Mustangs (Allison), and the Wisconsin Playground Warriors before losing to Team Thad (TN) in the semis.

According to most, Mathias put on an offensive clinic helping his team advance. Following the loss to Team Thad, he ended a memorable weekend by committing to Purdue.

According to ESPN/Prep Spotlight’s John Stovall, Columbus Grove’s Will Vorhees, Lima Central Catholic’s Martyce Kimbrough, Liberty-Benton’s Ryan Geise, and Lima Bath’s Taren Sullivan were all key contributors for the NWOBC.

Team Work had another productive weekend making the Sweet 16 in Gold Bracket play with a win over Team NLP (MA) before falling to AOR. Peyton Aldridge (Leavittsburg LaBrae) and Gavin Skelly (Westlake) continue to shine and gain national attention.

Ohio Varsity White, the Ohio Basketball Club, the Ohio Hoopsters, and Nitro USA all made the Gold Bracket, but dropped opening round decisions. OV White lost to the Milwaukee Runnin’ Rebels, who are led by Kevon Looney- one of the best prospects in the country. OBC lost to Team Thad, who finished runners-up.

In the 17-and-under Silver Bracket, the Ohio Stampede made the Final 4 and DB Hoops advanced to the Elite 8.

The 16-and-under division was won by a very good Indiana Elite 2015 squad, which also won the event as 15 year-year-olds a year ago. Elite is led by 6-foot-3 guard Jalen Coleman (Indianapolis Cathedral), who is being recruited by Ohio State along with frontrunner Indiana.

The top finishers in this age bracket were All-Ohio Red and the Ohio Basketball Club, who both made the Elite 8. AOR fell to Spiece Indy Heat and OBC fell to the Louisville Magic. Neither were bad losses by any means. AOR’s loss was in overtime to a good Indy Heat team led byBrownsburgHigh School’s K.J. Walton.

Stovall noted Jordan Dartis (Newark) asstandingout for AOR and Carlton Bragg (Cleveland VASJ) and Maverick Rowan (Lincoln Park, PA) as notables for OBC. Bragg garnered the attention of nearly every scribe on hand. Almost every publication covering the event mentioned the 6-foot-9 stretch four-man. It wasn’t surprising considering his talent level and the fact that Indiana just offered a day before the event. The aforementioned Rowan is a 2016 prospect.

The Ohio Stars- a team featuring 6-foot-9 Luke Knapke of Maria Stein Marion Local- made the Gold Bracket, but was handed an opening round defeat by Indiana Elite.

All-Ohio Black- another solid squad- lost to the Louisville Magic. Who Got Game (Austin) and Who Got Game (Dennis) also lost in the first round.

Team Work’s 16U made the Final 4 of the Silver Bracket behind Beau Justice (Peebles) and Austin Adams (Oregon Cardinal Stritch). Justice is a perimeter assassin, while Adams is a relentless slasher.

VJSports- also playing in the Silver Bracket- lost in the Elite 8. Triple Double Prospects’ Corey Albertson raved about the potential of Montrell McCrae (Cleveland MLK). The 6-foot-8 rising junior is rumored to be transferring to one of the better Division I schools in the Cleveland area.

Nearly all the major services mentioned the King James’ inside duo of Derrick Daniels (6’7/Thurgood Marshall) and Derek Funderburk (6’8/Lakewood St. Edward). Both players are extremely talented with plenty of upside.

Stovall mentioned point guard Xavier Simpson (Lima CC), Anthony Christian (Akron Hoban), Henry Baddley (Akron SVSM), and DJ Hoskins (Thurgood Marshall) as other kids that performed very well for King James.

All-Ohio Red’s run ended in the Elite 8 thanks to Indy Elite. AOR defeated the Northwest Ohio Basketball Club and the Wisconsin Playground Warriors in tournament play. Willie Jackson (Garfield Heights) and Keith Griffin (Shaker Heights) led the way according to Stovall with Tervell Beck (Cleveland CC) also having his moments.

Indy Elite defeated arguably Ohio’s three best teams in the 15U group in King James, All-Ohio Red, and Team Work (pool play). The guard trio of C.J. Hedgepeth (Bloomington South), D.J. Wilkins (Merrillville), and Tucker Blackwell (Evansville North) is one of the best in the country. Blackwell scored 20 points in the championship game against King James.

The Ohio Basketball Club had another solid weekend behind Wilmington stud Jarron Cumberland, who is just too strong for most guards his age. OBC defeated a good Nova Village team before losing to King James in a close contest.

Team Work dropped its opener in overtime to Martin Brothers, who eventually made the Final 4.

Ohio Elite Black also made the Gold Bracket losing to Mac Irvin in the opener.

In the 15U Silver Bracket, HIdden Gems Black made the Final 4 losing to the Louisville Magic and the Ohio Hoopsters advanced to the Elite 8.

The 14-and-under sector also had some good finishers. King James Shooting Stars lost to Spiece Indy Heat in the finals of the Gold Bracket after knocking off perennial powers Meanstreets, Ohio Basketball Club (West), and The Family.

All-Ohio Red continued its quality spring with wins over Spiece (Yeoman) and Triple Threat before dropping a decision to Indy Heat in the Final 4.

OBC made the Elite 8 defeating the Wisconsin Playground Warriors then losing to King James.

The Ohio Stampede was also a Gold Bracket qualifier, but fell to Triple Threat in the Sweet 16.

In the Silver Bracket, Team Lima Kings reached the Final 4 losing to Mac Irvin and DB Hoops got to the Elite 8 dropping a nod to the Randolph Boys. The Team Lima Kings beat a very good King James Shooting Stars (Williams) squad in the first round of bracket play.

Notes:

*All results were courtesy of Gym Rats Basketball Association.

*Carlton Bragg (Cleveland VASJ) received an offer from Indiana at the end of last week and is hearing from Michigan, Memphis, Wisconsin, and Missouri this week.

*The Ohio Phenoms (17U) played in the Adidas Spring Classic going (5-1) for the weekend and winning the Silver Bracket.

AAU Update: Who Shined at the 2013 Buckeye Prep Invitational Tourney?

The 2013 Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament took place this past weekend at four sites in Central Ohio and featured some of Ohio’s top up-and-coming talent in grades 4th-11th.Who and what we saw...

Columbus, Ohio – The 2013 Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament took place this past weekend at four sites in Central Ohio and featured some of Ohio’s top up-and-coming talent in grades 4th-11th.

Tournament director Rob Taylor always puts on fabulous events and the hospitality is second to none. Taylor’s April event often features some of the top junior high talent, while some of the top teams in the older groups either choose not to play that weekend or in All-Ohio Red’s case, it was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the NY2LA event.

However, there was still some top talent in all the divisions making for a great weekend of basketball in Columbus. Here is arecapand a look at some of the top performers.

17-and-under

Championship Sunday of any AAU event is always survival of the fittest, and this was certainly evident yesterday with Ohio Varsity White surviving a heated match up with Hidden Gems Black in the semis to escape with a, 52-51, victory.

Hidden Gems Black played the weekend without its two top inside forces in Toledo Central Catholic’s Nate Harris and Ottawa Hills’ Geoff Beans. In addition, Black had just played a rivalrygamewith Hidden Gems Orange just 30 minutes prior. Regardless, with the first stop at the Ohio’s Best Basketball League coming up this weekend, OV and Hidden Gems Black could be seeing a lot of each other this spring/summer with a rivalry inevitably looming.

After dispatching of Black, Ohio Varsity met Elite Skills Select in the title game. Elite Skills Select, a team comprised of Cleveland-area ballers, earned its way to the championship with wins over a good Dayton Nets squad along with a semifinals victory over a solid Team Blaze Select outfit from Indiana. East Tech’s Johnell Free led ESS with a game-high 21 points. Kyauta “K.T.” Taylor- another East Tech standout- hit for 13 points, including a game-winning step-back triple in overtime. Warrensville Heights’ C.J. Franklin also tallied 13 points.

Ohio Varsity was able to win the 2013 Buckeye Prep Invitational with a convincing win over the Cleveland-based squad.

With All-Ohio Red in Milwaukee, All-Ohio Black stepped up for the organization and captured the 16U division with a win over a scrappy Dayton Nets Taylor outfit.

Head coach Shaun O’Connell, who is also the headman at Dayton Ponitz High School, rallied his troops in the semis against Ohio Varsity Blue. AOB trailed by 12 points, but rallied for a, 46-43, triumph. Xeyrius Williams (Huber Heights Wayne) and Ryan Mikesell (St. Henry) carried the load for Black in the scoring department.

In the championship game, AOB and the Nets went back-and-forth for much of the contest, but All-Ohio was able to pull away late for a, 54-43, victory. Troy Christian guard Grant Zawadzki was instrumental in the win handling the Nets’ pressure and cashing in some key freebies in the second half. Zawadzki led Black with 14 points. Dayton Dunbar’s Dorian Dawson added nine points, and Mikesell chipped in eight counters.

The freshmen division came down to afinal fourof All-Ohio Black, Dayton Metro, the Toledo Ruff Riders, and Nova Village. Black was able to comfortably get by Metro in the semis, while the Ruff Riders survived against Nova Village with a, 51-50, victory.

All-Ohio Black held on for a, 55-52, win over a game Ruff Riders squad in the finals. Bellbrook’s Michael Pryce, who has the body of a grown man, led Black with 15 points, and Darius Dunson (Kettering Fairmont) and Malik Harrison (Walnut Ridge) each scored 11 points. Dayton Dunbar’s Terrance Landers capped an impressive weekend with seven tallies.

The Toledo Ruff Riders, who came into the weekend a bit of an unknown, impressed throughout the weekend with a pool play victory over Black and a tournament victory over a very good Nova Village squad. Keith Smith (Toledo St. John’s) led the Ruff Riders in defeat with 13 points, and Trey Buford and Jalen Daoust (Toledo Central Catholic) each netted nine points. Westerville South guard Jordan Humphrey chipped in seven and Groveport-Madison’s Trey Charles Martin was good for six.14-and-under

It’s always fun to look at the next crop of freshmen coming into high school, and there were afew goodlookingprospectsin the 8th grade division, which was won by head coachBrooksHall’s Next Level team.

Next Level got by a good M.A.T.T.S Mustangs squad in the finals with a 62-55 triumph. The Mustangs- a team based in Kentucky- are coached by John Adkins, a legendary name in AAU circles. Adkins coached the highly successful Tallahassee Wildcats before moving back to the Bluegrass state.

L’Christian “Blue” Smith (Huber Heights) led Next Level with 22 points and Ethan Bradds added 16 points for the winners. Bradds is the younger brother of Belmont signee Evan Bradds (JamestownGreeneview). Dayton Fairborn’s Ryan Profitt and Centerville’s Sam Lash also turned in stellar showings. Profitt is a physical, 6-foot-2 post player and Lash is a lights out shooter.

The Mustangs got 18 points from Lawrence County, Kentucky’s Timmy Dalton (6’2), who played varsity ball as an 8th grader. Trenton Russell (6’4) added 13 points. Russell played varsity at Magoffin County High School in Salyersville, Kentucky and averaged 11 points and nearly seven rebounds per game. Point guard Colin Miller (Liberty Casey County, KY) also turned in a solidperformancethroughout the weekend.

Two Ohio kids are playing for the Mustangs in Turner Horn (Berlin Hiland) and Michael Karl (New Philadelphia).

Two others 14U squads we got a couple looks at were the Cincinnati Royals, who made the final four, and the Team Lima Kings.

In a highly anticipated match up, the Queen City Prophets defeated Murphy AC. We were able to watch QCP a couple times throughout the weekend, and actually got to see the championship game, which the Cincinnati-based Prophets won, 75-71.

Any teams participating in the National Championship, must play in a District Championships.

go to for boys aauboysbasketball.org for girls aaugirlsbasketball.org..... or call 407 934-7200

Are you Aware Of The Latest Academic Standards

Written by Ron Crawford AAU Treasurer

Now that the clock starts in ninth grade. The new standards are:

*2.3 GPA for Division 1, up from 2.0

**2.5 for Division II, up from 2.3

***An athlete also must finish 10 core classes prior to his or her senior year. Seven of the 10 courses must be successfully completed in English, Math and Science.

Parents and Coaches have a much larger burden under these new guidelines, simply because young people that are 14 and 15 years old are not aware of what academics mean to their futures as they will later in High School----When it's too late..

WACO, TEXAS (Feb. 18, 2013) --Lo'Ron Smithof Our Lady of the Lake University has been selected as the Red River Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Co-Players of the Week for Feb. 11-17. Marcus O'Key from Jarvis Christian College shares this award with Smith. This is the 14th weekly award of the season.

Smith, a senior guard from Dayton, Ohio, topped the 1,000-point mark for his career last week while averaging 18.5 points per game. He notched 16 points and six rebounds in a 109-95 win over LSU Shreveport then reached his career milestone with 21 points and 15 boards in an 84-78 victory at Langston University. The Saints now sit in fourth place in the RRAC standings at 14-6 with an overall mark of 18-10.

Smith graduated from Warren High School in San Antonio. He is majoring in Business Management at OLLU.

AAU PROGRAMS IN THE AREA

Parents be reasonable about your child level of play when choosing an AAU program. Take in consideration your level of commitment and economic status when choosing a team. Expect to make a $350 to $700 investment not including travel, shoes and food. Make sure that the you are getting more bang for you buck.

The Dayton Airmen had it annual MLK basketball tournament this pasted weekend. I was on hand to witness some good basketball and coaching....Some of the top players in the area as well as Ohio invaded Corinthian gym.

Malcom McKay

William Thomas

Mekhi Elmore

KE'SHAUN HUGUELY

ANTONIO JOHNSON

KEONTE HUGUELY

Airmen 5th grade took home a championship trophy with a convincing win over a good Swish team. leading the way Keshwaun and Keonte Huguely the twin were raining three's all tournament. Watch in the next year these three guards will be some of the best in the area...................

SAMUEL ANDERSON

CARTER MIMS

MIKE STEPHENS

Dakota Swish took home the runners up trophy, Carter Mims is one of the best 5th grade points in Ohio, his running mate Samuel Anderson is not far behind. Watch next year to see these six in the top rankings in the state....

6TH GRADE

JAREN SMITH

BJ JOHNSON

PEYTON HARRIS

JAIDON LIPSCOMB

Jerome Francis II

JORDAN MITCHELL

Salvation Army was runner up in the 6th grade division BJ Johnson had a steller performance in the tournament but was in foul trouble the championship game. Jaren Smith continues to show that he one of the best points in the area.

New Birth game into the tournament with a high power offense as well as defense, the team from Columbus took home there second straight MLK tournament championship. With three of the best players in Ohio Coach Bradley's team can score and defend.

PersonalFull Name:Ryan Phillip BassBirthdate:June 27, 1992Parents:Russell Bass and Bettina Long? Cousin Daequan Cook played college ball at Ohio State and was an NBA first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Sixers. He currently plays for the Oklahoma Thunder.Sister:Brittany Price (24)

Because We CareAtHoop4u Sports Academy, we care about your children, and we want them to exceed in sports and their education. We take pride in our affordable prices and personal services, and we have personally trained or worked with most of the kids that we rank.

Player Profiles

Biography

Sat out this season due to NCAA transfer rules and will have three years of eligibility remaining

Outstanding point guard who passes the ball extremely well

Tremendous defender

Extremely fast up and down the floor

Was able to practice and learn WVU's system last season

At West Virginia (2011-12):

Sat out 2011-12 season due to NCAA transfer rules

Played for the East Coast All Stars who competed in Estonia in summer of 2012

At Dayton (2010-11):

Started 34 games as a freshman

Led the Atlantic 10 in assists with 190 for the season

Finished second in the final NCAA statistics in overall assists among freshmen and was 30th overall in the NCAA in assists per game at 5.4

Playing 29.1 minutes per game, averaged 8.5 points per game in leading Dayton to a 22-14 record and an NIT appearance

Was named to the Atlantic 10 all-Rookie Team and earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors three times

Had a career-best 17 points at Xavier, while he had 10 assists in games against Fordham and Florida A&M

Had seven assists or more in a game 13 times for the Flyers

Had a double-double against Florida A&M with 10 points and 10 assists

Scored double figures 13 times

In High School:

Helped lead Oak Hill Academy to the No. 1 ranking in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a 29-4 record overall, including an undefeated record at home

Helped Oak Hill to a No. 7 national ranking according to USA Today and a No. 12 national ranking by ESPN

As a junior at Thurgood Marshall, he led the team to the Ohio Division II state finals where he finished with 28 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal while playing all 32 minutes of the 59-53 loss to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High

During that same season, he was selected as the Dayton Area Division II Player of the Year and second team all-Ohio Division II while averaging 21 points and 9.3 assists

Was selected to the all-Ohio Division II third team while averaging 24 points and nine assists

HOBBS, N.M. (Dec. 1, 2012) -- Lo'Ron Smithled the Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) men's basketball team to a 90-86 victory over the University of the Southwest on Saturday evening in Hobbs, N.M.

The win moves the Saints to 3-4 on the season and 2-0 in the Red River Athletic Conference, while Southwest drops to 3-2 and 0-1 in the conference.

Head Coach Russell Vanlandingham said, "Like all road games, it was good to steal one in Hobbs. We need to have a much better effort tonight against Texas Wesleyan to get two on this trip, but our main focus is improvement."

55 Geron Johnson

Junior CollegePlayed his junior college career at Chipola College (Fla.) in 2010-11 and Garden City Community College (Kan.) in 2011-12 ... Played in 25 games at Garden City in 2011-12 ... Led the Broncbusters in scoring with a 19.6 average and also posted a 5.6 rebounding average (fourth on team) ... Also tops on the Garden City team in assists (4.6 apg), field goal percentage (51.4) and free throw percentage (76.4) ... The Broncbusters finished the 2011-12 season with a 17-12 record ... In 2010-11 at Chipola College, averaged 10.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists ... Shot 39 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line ... Helped lead the Indians to a 25-6 overall record and the Panhandle Conference championship ... Chipola's season ended in the NJCAA Region 8 title game.

High SchoolPrior to junior college, played at Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio ... As a senior in 2009-10, was rated among the top-100 players in the country (Rivals.com No. 100; ESPN.com No. 56) ... Also ranked among the nation's top-25 shooting guards (Rivals.com No. 25; ESPN.com No. 18) ... Led his high school to the Ohio Division 2 state crown in 2009-10 ... Scored 24 points and dished out seven assists in helping the Wolverines win the state title over previously unbeaten Port Clinton ... For his performance, was named the Ohio Division 2 state tournament MVP ... Named to the Ohio Division 2 All-State first team ... Averaged 16.8 points, 4.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in helping lead Dunbar to a 25-3 overall record and a perfect 10-0 Dayton City League mark ... The Wolverines also won the Dayton Public League crown and finished the year as the No. 3 team in the state of Ohio ... Selected theDayton Daily NewsDivision 2 Player of the Year ... As a junior in 2008-09, averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.9 steals ... Dunbar finished the year with a 14-6 overall record and a 6-2 Dayton City League mark ... Honors earned as a junior included Dayton City League Player of the Year, All-Dayton City first team, Division 2 Southwest Ohio first team,Dayton Daily NewsDivision 2 All-Dayton first team and Ohio Division 2 All-State honorable mention.